346 research outputs found
From forest to farmland: Species richness patterns of trees and understorey plants along a gradient of forest conversion in southwestern Cameroon
No full textVegetation surveys were carried out at 24 sampling stations distributed over four land use types, namely near-primary forest, secondary forest, agroforestry systems and annual crop lands in the northeastern part of the Korup region, Cameroon, to assess the impact of forest conversion on trees and understorey plants. Tree species richness decreased significantly with increasing level of habitat modification, being highest and almost equal in secondary and near-primary forests. Understorey plant species richness was significantly higher in annual crop lands than in other land use types. The four land use types differed in tree and understorey plant species composition, the difference being smaller among natural forests. Tree and understorey plant density differed significantly between habitat types. Density was strongly correlated with species richness, both for trees and understorey plants. Five tree and 15 understorey plant species showed significant responses to habitat. A 90% average drop in tree basal area from forest to farmland was registered. Our findings support the view that agroforestry systems with natural shade trees can serve to protect many forest species, but that especially annual crop lands could be redesigned to improve biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes of tropical rainforest regions
From forest to farmland: Habitat effects on afrotropical forest bird diversity
No full textAlthough the Guinea-Congolian rain forest region is an important focal point for conservation in Africa, very little information is available on the effects of forest modification and land use on the region's biodiversity. We studied bird communities and vegetation characteristics in 24 sampling stations distributed over two near-natural forests (near-primary forest, secondary forest), and two land use types (agroforestry, annual cultures) in the lowlands of the Korup region, Cameroon. Repeated sampling was used to establish near-complete inventories of bird assemblages for each site. Despite a 90% average drop in tree basal area, from forest to farmland, overall bird species richness did not decrease significantly with increasing habitat modification. However, different groups of birds responded in different ways. Frugivorous and omnivorous bird species richness did not differ between habitats, whereas richness in granivorous, flower-visiting, and nonbreeding species was higher in land use systems compared to forests. In contrast, insectivorous birds, especially terrestrial and large arboreal foliage gleaning insectivores, and ant followers showed,a declining species richness from forest to farmland. Also, richness in species of those restricted to the Guinea-Congolian forest biome and of the family Pycnonotidae showed a pronounced decline with increasing habitat modification. Species richness of overall insectivores, terrestrial insectivores, large- and medium-sized arboreal foliage gleaners, ant followers, as well as pycnonotids and biome-restricted species, were strongly or even very strongly positively correlated with overstory tree density and, in most cases, also with basal area. In contrast, tree density and basal area were strongly negatively correlated with species richness of nonbreeding visitors and flower-visiting bird species. Species composition was most distinct between near-primary forest and annual culture sites, and the abundance of 23 out of 165 species was affected by habitat, suggesting considerable partitioning of habitat niches along the habitat gradient. Our results stress the importance of tree cover in tropical land use systems for the maintenance of resident forest bird populations and confirm that natural forest management is more beneficial for global bird conservation compared to other forms of forest exploitation, including agroforestry systems
The Appeal of Exodus: The Characters God, Moses and Israel in the Rhetoric of the Book of Exodus
No full textThe present thesis offers a reading of the book of Exodus as a literary artifact. This is
accomplished through the investigation of its main literary characters Yhwh, Moses and
Israel. The text is understood to be part of a communicative situation between author and
reader. This hermeneutical claim and the nature of Exodus itself entail certain consequences
with regard to the method of enquiry. The method applied is a modified form of
rhetorical criticism, which is understood to provide an interpretive perspective on the text.
The particular focus is on the functional aspects of the text which direct the reading process
and thus guide the reader. Given the difficulties in determining the circumstances of
the origin of Exodus and the paucity of secured knowledge about early Israelite history, the
`implied reader' is introduced as a key-term. It is assumed that this implied reader informed
the inventio and dispositio of the book. Because of the book's central themes - identity
and relationship -a careful investigation of the characters is a worthy avenue to pursue.
Three characters have been chosen on account of their continuous involvement in the
plot. The introduction of each character into the plot receives special attention. The developing
portrayal of each character is closely linked to its paradigmatic qualities and to its influence
on the reader. First, the portrait of God is discussed, especially in relation to the
contributions of the narrative, poetic and legal parts of Exodus. The very important but
often neglected legal characterisation of Yhwh in Exodus is a topic of special interest. Although
the legal collections say much about their recipients, they also reveal deep insights
into the law-giver's nature and concerns. Yhwh is identified as the king who justly claims
obedience and service. A further focus is the possibility of the relationship between Israel
and their king, Yhwh. Second, with regard to Moses there is a significant difference between
his first appearance in Exod 2-5 and his later development. This remarkable tension
in the Mosaic portrayal reveals interesting insights into the implied reader's preconceptions.
Here we trace closely the argumentative strategy of the author in his attempts to convince
this reader. Furthermore, it is necessary to discuss the paradigmatic qualities of the character
Moses. Third, reader-identification is at the heart of the construction of Israel. Here the
historical gulf between the Israel of the narrative and the one of the implied reader is
bridged. The complexity of Israel is a central aspect of Exodus' rhetoric, urging its readers
to comply with the ideal which the author sought to communicate in his book.
The results of this study provide insights into the specific poetics of Exodus and its
management of the reading process. Because of the proposed unity of form and content, it
is possible to specify the message of the entire book by taking into account its intriguing
mixture of different genres. An abstraction from modern reading-conventions in the
encounter of ancient Hebrew texts is shown, and the possibility of reading the text on its
own terms is explored
The descent of Christ in Ephesians 4:7-11 : an exegetical investigation with special reference to the influence of traditions about Moses associated with Psalm 68:19.
No full textThis study attempts to demonstrate that the most probable interpretation of the descent of Christ in Eph. 4: 7-11 involves a descent of Christ as the Spirit who distributes gifts to his church subsequent to the ascent of Eph. 4: 8. The investigation begins with a history of the interpretation of Eph. 4: 7-11. Most modern interpreters favour either a descent to the under- world (or the grave) between Christ's death and resurrection or a descent from heaven to earth at the incarnation. Textual and grammatical problems relevant to the proposed exegesis are also discussed. A major portion of the study deals with the ascent-descent imagery associating Ps. 68: 19 (quoted in Eph. 4: 8) and Moses as found in Tg Psalms and the rabbinic literature. The author of Ephesians, had he been aware of these traditions associating Psalm 68 with Moses, would have been predisposed to think in terms of a subsequent descent, because Moses' ascent of Mt Sinai to receive the Torah was followed by his descent to distribute it as 'gifts' to men. Although it is clear that both Tg Psalms and the rabbinic literature are later than Ephesians, there is evidence from a number of early sources that such Moses-traditions were in circulation prior to the first century CE. The association of these traditions with Ps. 68: 19 as employed by the author of Ephesians appears to exist through the connection of Moses' ascent of Sinai to receive the Torah with the celebration of the Jewish feast of Pentecost on the one hand, and the Christian use of Psalm 68 in connection with Pentecost (described in Acts 2) on the other. Ps. 68: 19 was already understood to refer to the ascent of Christ and the gift of the Spirit in a layer of tradition older than Ephesians. Familiarity with the Moses-traditions connected with an ascent and descent of Sinai would have suggested a subsequent descent. Thus the author's innovation did not lie in the use of the psalm in a christological sense, nor in the introduction of a subsequent descent of Christ inferred from the ascent mentioned in Ps. 68: 19. The contribution of the author of Ephesians consisted in his identification of the ascended Christ as the Spirit who descended to distribute gifts to his church. Such an interpretation offers the best explanation of the passage in light of the evidence linking Moses-traditions of a heavenly ascent at Sinai with Pentecost and Psalm 68
Lactarius megalopterus, a new angiocarpous species from a tropical rainforest in Central Africa, shows adaptations to endozoochorous spore dispersal
No full textISSN:1617-416XISSN:1861-8952ISSN:1861-895
Endemism and geographic distribution of African Thismiaceae
No full textBackground and aim – The occurrence of the enigmatic plant family Thismiaceae has never been characterized in detail, but appears to be focused in three vegetation types. This study used data from the literature, in tandem with detailed new field data from Cameroon, to document, map, and predict potential distributions of Thismiaceae species across Africa, and relate their occurrence to features of climate.Methods – We reviewed known occurrences of Thismiaceae species across Africa; in Cameroon, Thismiaceae occurrences were studied in 22 1-ha plots (220 000 m 2 ), at lowland, sub-montane, and montane sites in evergreen forest, semi-deciduous forest, and woody and grassland savannah vegetation types. Assembling known occurrences from across the continent, ecological niche modeling was used to map potential geographic ranges of African Thismiaceae under present-day climate conditions across Africa.Results and discussion – In Cameroon fieldwork, 338 individual Thismiaceae were recorded, corresponding to eleven species of Afrothismia. The most occupied vegetation type for Thismiaceae was sub-montane forest. Occurrence of Thismiaceae seems to depend principally on rainfall, as most specimens were recorded in areas with high rainfall, about six weeks after the first rains, toward the middle or end of the rainy season. This pattern seems to be consistent across all of the species. Soil analyses shows that Afrothismia was most frequent under conditions of low calcium (0.09–15.21 %) and pH of 3.58–6.16. Niche models predicted that additional Thismiaceae populations may be discovered at high-rainfall sub-montane forest sites in Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya. Across tropical Africa, the Thismiaceae comprise 22 species in two genera (twenty Afrothismia and two Oxygyne ), recorded from seven countries. Many of these species are narrowly endemic to one or a few specific sites, so that detailed knowledge of distributional patterns is important for their conservation
The song of Moses in the book of Revelation : allusions, memories, and identity
No full textThesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research aims to trace the exodus motif in the book of Revelation in general and Rev.
12-20 in particular, and to examine the socio-rhetorical function of the use of the exodus
motif. Our hypothesis is that Rev. 12-20 constitutes a coherent unit in terms of narratology
and that the exodus motif plays a significant role in forming the structure and the message of
the book of Revelation, specifically of Revelation 12-20. Significantly, the song of Moses and
the Lamb in Rev. 15 plays a pivotal role in the development of the thread of the chapter 12-20
as a plot.
In the chapter 2, an overview of the history of interpretation of Revelation is provided and
also the limitation of current studies of the song of Moses is highlighted. In addition, a new
approach to the song of Moses in Revelation is suggested.
The main goal of the chapter 3 is to examine Rev. 12-20 according to four narrative elements
and from which Rev 12-20 can be deduced as a discrete literary unit constituting a plot. It
will be argued that Rev. 12-20, as a plot, is highly stylized in the chiastic structure which has
the song of Moses and the Lamb at the centre.
Chapter 4 investigates Exod. 1-15 as a coherent story and explains how the author of
Revelation adopts the exodus motifs in forming both the theme and the structure of
Revelation. Moreover, it will be argued that the exodus motif generated certain sociorhetorical
meanings to the audiences or the readers who were assimilated into the Roman
Empire. For understanding the socio-rhetorical meanings, we examine the socio-rhetorical
context, namely Asia Minor as part of the Roman Empire, and deal with the socio-rhetorical
role of the exodus motif in the book of Revelation.
In the chapter 5, firstly, drawing on the theoretical assumptions from social psychology, we
build up a framework in which we can deal with Rev. 12-20 in terms of identity issues. Then,
the covenantal identity based on the covenant in the book of Exodus will be suggested as an
alternative identity. Thus, the exodus motif in Rev. 12-20 challenges the assimilated identity
of the audiences or the readers to be renewed in the covenantal identity, so that they may be
holy apart from the culture and the structure of the Roman Empire. The song of Moses and
the Lamb reinforces the covenantal identity.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die gebruik van die eksodus-motief in Openbaring in die
algemeen en in Op 12-12 in die besonder, terwyl dit ook die sosio-retoriese funksie van
hierdie motief bestudeer. Die hipotese is dat Op 12-20 in terme van narratologiese analise ‘n
koherente eenheid beslaan, en dat die eksodus-motief ‘n betekenisvolle rol speel in die
struktuur en boodskap van Openabring, en Op 12-20 in besonder. Verder is dit betekenisvol
dat die Lied van Moses en die Lam in Op 15 ‘n kernrol speel in die deurlopende lyn van Op
12-20 as plot.
In hoofstuk 2 word ‘n oorsig oor die interpretasiegeskiedenis van Openbaring aangebied en
beperkinge ten opsigte van huidige studies oor die Lied van Moses beklemtoon. In aanvulling
daarby word ‘n nuwe benadering ten opsigte van die Lied van Moses in Openbaring
voorgestel.
Die hoofdoel van hoofstuk 3 is om Op 12-20 aan die hand van vier naratiewe elemente te
ondersoek. As resultaat kan Op 12-20 as diskrete literêre eenheid sowel as die plot van
Openbaring beskou word. As plot vertoon Op 12-20 ‘n noukeurige styl, met chiastiese
strukture waarvan die Lied van Moses en die Lam die middelpunt vorm.
Hoofstuk 4 ondersoek Eks 1-15 as koherente narratief en verduidelik hoe die outeur van
Openbaring die eksodus-motief in die vorming van beide die tema en struktuur van die boek
ingespan het. Die eksodus motief sou ook sekere sosio-retoriese betekenisse onder die gehore
of lesers wat met die Romeinse Ryk geassimileer was, gegenereer het. Twv die beter verstaan
van sulke sosio-retoriese betekenisse, word die sosio-historiese konteks naamlik Klein-Asië
as deel van die Romeinse Ryk bestudeer. Vervolgens word die sosio-retoriese rol van die
eksodus-motief in die boek van Openbaring behandel.
In hoofstuk 5 word eerstens van teoretiese uitgangspunte binne die sosiale sielkunde gebruik
te maak vir die konstruering van ‘n raamwerk om identiteitsake in Opn 12-20 te hanteer.
Vervolgens word verbondsidentiteit soos dit voortvloei uit die verbond in Eksodus as
alternatiewe identiteit voorgestel. Die eksodus motief in Op 12-20 daag die gehore of lesers
van die boek uit om hul verbondsidentiteit te hernu, sodat hulle heilig en dus anders as die
kultuur en strukture van die Romeinse Ryk kan wees. Die Lied van Moses en die Lam versterk Openbaring se gehore of lesers se verbondsidentiteit
Diversity, above-ground biomass, and vegetation patterns in a tropical dry forest in Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon
No full textThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.Research highlights
This study is one of few detailed analyses of plant diversity and vegetation patterns in African dry forests. We established permanent plots to characterize plant diversity, above-ground biomass, and vegetation patterns in a tropical dry forest in Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon. Our results contribute to long-term monitoring, predictions, and management of dry forest ecosystems, which are often vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures.
Background and objectives
Considerable consensus exists regarding the importance of dry forests in species diversity and carbon storage; however, the relationship between dry forest tree species composition, species richness, and carbon stock is not well established. Also, simple baseline data on plant diversity are scarce for many dry forest ecosystems. This study seeks to characterize floristic diversity, vegetation patterns, and tree diversity in permanent plots in a tropical dry forest in Northwestern Cameroon (Kimbi-Fungom National Park) for the first time.
Materials and methods
We studied associations between above-ground biomass and species composition, and how different vegetation types vary in terms of species composition, diversity, and carbon storage, in a dry forest in Kimbi-Fungom National Park, Cameroon. Vegetation was inventoried in 17 permanent 1-ha plots. Allometric equations were used to calculate above-ground biomass and carbon.
Results
We found an average of 269.8 tree stems ha−1 and 43.1 species ha−1. Five vegetation types: semi-deciduous, gallery, mixed vegetation, secondary and the grassland/woody savanna forest were classified using TWINSPAN analysis. The five vegetation types had an average above-ground biomass of 149.2 t ha−1 and 74.6 tC ha−1 of carbon in the 17 ha analyzed. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed the importance of semi-deciduous forest over grassland/woody savanna forest.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that the forest of the Kimbi-Fungom National Park is poor in plant diversity, biomass, and carbon, highlighting the need to implement efficient management practices. Fine-scale inventory data of species obtained in this study could be useful in developing predictive models for efficient management of tropical dry forests
A New Species of Cassipourea (Rhizophoraceae) from Western Cameroon
No full textVolume: 16Start Page: 61End Page: 6
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